News from Micro Focus SupportLine
What's new at Micro Focus
Announcing Net Express Early Adopter program for COBOL/XML Support.
We are currently seeking a limited number of Early Adopters to work closely with Micro Focus on the planned new COBOL/XML support to be included in future versions of the Net Express and Server Express products. Early Adopters must be prepared to undertake a defined project using the new functionality quite soon and provide feedback to Micro Focus; in return you will receive advance access to these new features and have the chance to work closely with Micro Focus to meet your business needs. If you are interested in participating in this program please contact the Net Express Product Manager directly Netx-EA-Program@Microfocus.com for further details.
New & Updated White Papers
Application Re-engineering and Replacement (New)
This white paper will discuss some of the key challenges typically attributed to a businesses reliance on legacy systems, how they can be further diagnosed, and finally how the process of application mining can be applied using the latest advances in technology to resolve many of these issues.
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Application Migration (Updated)
This paper concerns itself with Platform Migration and in particular the issue of moving an application from one platform to another. A "platform" can be a hardware or software platform or a combination of the two.
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Micro Focus HP3000 Migration (Updated)
This paper will be of interest to CIOs and IT managers as it outlines how Micro Focus can help by discussing:
- The impact of this announcement on businesses
- Micro Focus' background and why are we in a unique position to help
- Where in particular can Micro Focus be of assistance?
- What's involved in migrating systems from the HP3000?
- The potential approaches to HP3000 migrations
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If you haven't visited the new Micro Focus Forum yet, you owe it to yourself to give it a look. | |
The COBOL Portal
Have you visited the new COBOL Portal lately?
Many changes and enhancements have been made to the COBOL Portal recently to make it 'the' web site for the COBOL developer.
http://www.cobolportal.com
Product Updates
Introducing Net Express with Web Services Capabilities
On June 24th, Micro Focus announced availability of Net Express® 3.1 Service Pack 1, which includes Web services enhancements. Please note that with the release of Net Express 3.1 Service Pack 1, the Net Express Application Server now requires license keys. You will have until December 2, 2002 to obtain any Application Server license keys that you require. If you've already purchased Net Express Application Server licenses, there will be no additional charge, simply contact your sales representative and they will arrange for new keys to be delivered to you. If you have not previously purchased Net Express Application Server licenses, please contact your Micro Focus sales representative and they will be happy to help you.
The following product updates have been made available this month:
Net Express
Net Express 3.1 - Service Pack 1 - has been updated with the following items:
* aps14a31 - Application Server Service Pack
* doc08n31 - Documentation FixPack
* csb01n31 - CSBIND FixPack
Net Express 3.1 - pre Service Pack 1 - has been updated with the following items:
* aps11a31 - Application Server Service Pack
Mainframe Express
Mainframe Express 2.5 WebSync has been updated with the following items:
* asm08m25 - Assembler Option FixPack
* cic09m25 - CICS Option FixPack
* cmp08m25 - Compiler FixPack
* dft06m25 - Data Tools FixPack
* doc06m25 - Documentation FixPack
* hco08m25 - HCO FixPack
* ide09m25 - IDE FixPack
* ims07m25 - IMS Option FixPack
* jcl07m25 - JCL FixPack
* lec03m25 - LE Callable Services FixPack
* mfd06m25 - Mainframe Access Suite FixPack
* pli07m25 - PL/I Option FixPack
* rex03m25 - REXX Fixpack
* rts07m25 - Run-time System FixPack
* sql08m25 - SQL Option FixPack
* tso09m25 - TSO FixPack
* xfh08m25 - File Handler FixPack
Server Express
Server Express 2.0.11 Service Pack 1 has been updated with:
* Fixpack21.05_3_cob.tar.encr - Development System FixPack
* Fixpack21.05_3_apps.tar.encr - Application Server FixPack
Requesting Product Update
As a SupportLine customer, you can receive your FREE update by clicking on the Request an Update selection from the Self Service menu option on the SupportLine web page, or by emailing to Update@microfocus.com. You will need to provide your Name, Company, Phone, and Fax numbers, email address, shipping address, number of users, your current product serial number(s), and to which product or release to which you wish to Update.
Please note that a SupportLine ID is now required to access many of the SupportLine pages.
To register for a SupportLine ID, fill out the form at http://www.microfocus.com/SupportLine
License Key Requests
Along with the other recent changes, the address to use to request new license keys has changed. License Keys for AAI, APS for MVS/Appmaster, EnterpriseLink, Mainframe Express, Mainframe Manager, Net Express, Revolve, and Transformation Product Suite products should now be requested in one of two ways. They should either be requested through the Request/Obtain License link, located on the SupportLine web page Self Service menu, or they should be sent to the new e-mail address of urk@microfocus.com . All of the previous e-mail addresses used for obtaining new license keys are now invalid.
Technical Articles
Articles and demos to inform you about functions and features of your Micro Focus products
WebSync AutoUpdate Utility
Want an easy way to ensure your product has the latest fixes? This article describes how to use the new AutoUpdate function available on our SupportLine Product Updates page. click here.
Net Express
Net Express Application Server
The following three articles provide select information relative to the Net Express Application Server installation and setup and the deployment of applications. If you are not familiar with these aspects of Application Server, you will find these articles helpful.
Quick guide on using Application Server for Net Express v31 SP1
Minimum Requirements for installing Application Server License Keys
Mainframe Express, Net Express, Server Express, & Component Generator
Micro Focus and IBM WebSphere
For those with interest in or those who are considering investing in Micro Focus technology and IBM WebSphere technology, this document briefly covers some of the basics of WebSphere and our current product support for WebSphere.
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Revolve, Revolve Enterprise Edition, and Transformation Product Suite
LOADING CA7 JOB STREAM INFORMATION into Revolve
To view job stream information in Revolve, you must load the information in a form that Revolve can understand, which is XML. The job stream information can be written in native XML and loaded into Revolve, but the easier way is to convert the CA7 information into XML using the process described in this article.
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Creating your own BASIC REQL scripts within Revolve
This article covers how you would create, compile and run a Revolve REQL new script from within the Project Management function of the Revolve product.
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Improving Revolve Parsing Performance with Cache
This article discusses how Revolve uses it's own cache and how you can modify this cache to improve the performance of Revolve, especially when loading in large applications.
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EnterpriseLink
Function Key Access to EnterpriseLink
One of the key issues that can arise with EnterpriseLink applications that are deployed to a browser is how to handle heads-down data-entry type operators who are used to the interactions of a terminal emulator. This article discusses they way to handle these situations.
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Planned Product Withdrawals
Are you aware of the Product Withdrawal Schedule Information within the Micro Focus Product Advisory pages? This schedule shows the planned (or past) withdrawal dates of Micro Focus products and their successor products. It is advisable for you to check this schedule from time to time, so you can stay up to date on the plans near term plans for the Micro Focus products that you are using.
A reminder: All Object COBOL Developer Suite v4.1.30 products on all UNIX platforms other than NCR were withdrawn as of May 31, 2002. All withdrawn releases are, or have been, replaced by either the Object COBOL Developer Suite v4.1.40 or by a Server Express release. If you are still operating on v4.1.30, you should be planning on updating your release to the current version as soon as possible.
The full Product Withdrawal Schedule can be found on the Micro Focus web site at:
SupportLine Website
Have you visited the Micro Focus Support website? Have you registered for access?
If you haven't you should!
By accessing the Support website, you can:
- Submit issues directly to our support operation just as you would over the telephone. Issues submitted through the website given the same priority as telephone inquiries.
- View the status of the cases you have submitted to Support, whether you opened them through the web or through a telephone call to us. You may also update the information on your open cases to provide additional information.
- You can view the status of any product defect reports you have submitted to us.
There are self-help services available on the Support website that will allow you to find answers to a variety of product questions, provide you with a concentrated sub-site for Net Express information and examples, and give you access to our Answer Exchange user community messaging area.
If you haven't registered and visited our Support website, you owe it to yourself to see what you have been missing. Click on the following links to register (all you need is your personal information and your product serial numbers) to access the Support website and start benefiting from these services.
Register for an online SupportLine account
Access the SupportLine website
Please Help Improve Communication Within The Micro Focus User Community
If you know of any users of Micro Focus products, development support team members, technical architects or any other parties who would be interested in receiving future issues of this communication each month, please direct them to the registration page where they can register online.
